Of Paws and Pestering
by Cuzosu
Summary: Transitional piece between Prints and Halloween Hi-Jinx. Not necessary but a bit of sweetness and spice to flavor the series. M for language.


Disclaimer: I own nothing but what plot this has, and that not much.

Of Paws and Pestering

Requirements:

-Tea kettle

-Rails

...

Of Paws and Pestering

_Pitter-patter!_

Vincent walked through the arched entryway, thinking vaguely that Cosmo Canyon was still one of the more relaxing places he'd been. He was sorry that cheerful old man, Bugenhagen, was no longer around, but the people were calm and knew how to live simply. Both as an ex-TURK and as a man once outcast because of the creatures he'd been joined by in his own body, Vincent Valentine truly admired the ability to live without unnecessary things.

_Pitter-patter, pitter-patter!_

_Little paws,_ thought the raven-haired man even as he turned around.

"Uncle Vincent! Uncle Vincent!"

"Sorry, they took off once they realized you were near," said Nanaki. The tattoo XIII still adorned his red shoulder fur, his voice remained a rough growl. His remaining green eye gazed fondly at his welps.

Miniature versions of Red XIII-Nanaki to residents of Cosmo Canyon-swarmed around booted feet.* Said feet were careful not to accidentally step on a tail-both because it could accidentally light him on fire and because the ex-TURK had no wish to harm his comrade's children.

There was a comfortable pause, and then Nanaki said, "Could I get you to watch them for a while? Take them somewhere safer than here? The Gi Tribe's ghosts have been acting up a lot lately, and I would rather they didn't get caught up in that. They're still too young, same as I was when my father saved the village."

This brought up nostalgic memories; Vincent had been taken to see the sad form of Nanaki's father during one of the times the two non-humans had been remniscing together. It was a tragic sight, the stone form, the arrows...the tears. Seto was a hero, and the TURK in Vincent respected the fighting spirit trapped inside the unmoving body. Fighting didn't get much more depressing than that, and Seto hadn't given up.

"Sure. Tifa will be glad to see them, and it's only fair that Denzel and Marlene have another get-together with their friends."

Red XIII paused. "Thanks," he said gruffly. _That's one thing I can say about Vincent. He's never looked down on any of us as being less human or worthy than he is. Even Barret was shocked and showed it when he realized I could speak. Valentine took it in stride._

They wandered around Cosmo Canyon for a little while, finally settling down around the campfire and then meandering to bed. First thing in the morning, Vincent would escort the pups to Tifa's home.

...

...

...

It wasn't every day a sight like this was seen. Reno had been sent to Tifa's bar, tasked with discovering more on Vincent Valentine's whereabouts. He had in no way been expecting this. What was the ex-TURK going to do, die before he talked to them again? Ridiculous...

Gathered around the dinner table were Denzel, Marlene, Cloud, Cid, Barret, Yuffie, and, amazingly, Reeve. Tifa was in the kitchen making an enormous amount of food, hearing every word whether she wanted to or not.

Yuffie and Cid had sat down across from each other. A mistake. Both were leaning forward, alternately enthusiastic and pissed off.

"I'm telling you, I'm a ninja! I snuck into Golden Saucer!"

"Bullshit!" Cid bellowed. Obviously he didn't believe her. "Impossible! That's why they have that damn prison around the bottom of it!"

She slammed a hand down on the table, making the drinks jump. "I used my ninja skills to get there on the tram's suspension cords!"

"Then how did you get to the station to do so?" demanded the irate blond, cigarette about to fall from his lips.

"Remember our trip through the mountain and the train station there? I used the rails where I could and grapples where I couldn't. Simple. So was sneaking through the town they're rebuilding during the night." Her smile was so wide it was almost a wonder her face didn't split in two.

Cid opened his mouth, about to shove his foot even further down his throat.

_WHAM!_

Even as heads turned, there was a skittering sound as of little claws on wooden floors and two small red forms leapt at the closest people.

"Uncle Cid! Aunt Yuffie! Uncle Barret! Uncle Cloud! Aunt Tifa! Uncle Reeve! Denzel! Marlene!" jinxed the fiery furred duo as they skidded to a halt.

"Dad had Uncle Vincent bring us over to visit!"

"We got to try ice cream on the way over!"

Everyone blinked and looked askance at the ex-TURK. _He did what?_

Vincent shrugged slightly. "It was a change." Turning to Reno, he asked, "What are you doing here?"

"Boss wanted to know where you were, yo," was the redhead's response. "Didn't expect ya to be back this soon, though."

"Nanaki said the Gi Tribe was acting up again."

"Gi Tribe?"

It was Tifa who answered. "Ghosts now, but when they were alive they tried to wipe out the residents of Cosmo Canyon. Being dead hasn't worn down their will."

A somber silence fell, disturbed only when the four youngsters scrambled away from the table and dashed up the stairs in a game of chase. None of the adults could think of something adequate to say, even Yuffie's infamously big mouth merely opening, pausing, and shutting again immediately. The hush was unbreakable.

Until a whistle sounded from the kitchen. Tifa jerked out of her reverie immediately.

"I'd better go deal with the tea kettle," she murmured as she hurried through the doorway. From the open door came the sounds of mugs on the counter and pouring tea. No one could say Tifa didn't know her friends' varied tastes.

Astonishingly, the youngsters who'd rushed upstairs were then heard coming back down. _Well, it was a game of chase, wasn't it?_ thought Vincent. If so, then it stood to reason they'd rampage their way all over the building if they could. Children were always in a hurry to get from one place to another...unless it was bedtime.

Denzel and Marlene took the easy way down, one sliding on the banister and the other on the hand rail. Close behind, Nanaki's children pelted toward the landing. Unfortunately, two things had been forgotten. Firstly, sliding could be quite a challenge to stop, especially when heading downward with gravity. Secondly, young four-legged creatures of any kind had a tendency to trip over their own feet, and while the same was true of humans, Denzel and Marlene weren't relying on their feet to take them anywhere at the moment.

Noting all this in an instant, Vincent and Reno darted over in an instinctive reaction to save the next generation. It was nothing discussed, no planned course of how to rescue the children from their own unthinking actions. All the same, both men dove for the floor and skidded underneath the progeny as Denzel and Marlene reached the end of the 'tracks' and hurtled off-and as both pups tripped and toppled.

"Oof!"

Reno didn't recall the last time he'd truly had the wind knocked out of him. It must have been a while. But Lady Luck was a fickle thing, and she seemed to have abandoned him for the youngsters this time. _All to the better, I guess, yo,_ he thought to himself. He heaved a breath or two as Marlene and one pup scrambled off him.

Slightly closer to the staircase landing, Vincent sat up, letting a somewhat shocky Denzel slide to the floor beside him as the pup made room for its sibling in the raven-haired man's lap.

Vincent sighed softly, glad the children were safe but lamenting that he couldn't rise without first evicting them from his lap...and he was too kind** to do that.

...

*Boots. Heh. *makes face* Sorry, just couldn't help but add in the reference, lol.

**To children and animals.

...

...

...

A/N: Since you've read, please review and let me know what you think! *puppy eyes*


End file.
